Tag: healthy recipes

Thanksgiving Recipe Round Up

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Can you believe that Thanksgiving is just two weeks away?!

Though this year might be a little be different due to COVID19 guidelines and safety, we’ve been getting a lot of inquiries for recipes for your smaller holiday dinners.

Check out this round up of recipes that I’ve shared over the past 3 years, from salads, to sides, to desserts – there is something for everyone. Happy cooking!

Start with this Autumn Broccoli Salad

This recipe is for the nights you find yourself saying, “I have to bring a side dish to a party, but have no time!” Just chop up your seasonal vegetables listed below, and whisk together a few simple salad dressing ingredients, and there you have a delicious side dish that all your friends and family will love! Get the recipe here.

Everyone will love these Roasted Garlic and Chive Mashed Cauliflower Potatoes

These potatoes cover two bases by using half gold potatoes, and half cauliflower. The texture and flavor is amazing, and your guests/kids won’t be able to tell that they are also getting in some non-starchy vegetables! Get the recipe here.

Easy Honey Roasted Rainbow Carrots are a great last minute dish

If you are still looking for an easy and healthy dish, check out my Honey Roasted Rainbow Carrot recipe. With only 5 ingredients, you can easily throw it together to get some color on the table! Get the recipe here.

Spruce up the spread with these SAUTEED GREEN BEANS WITH TOASTED ALMONDS, LEMON & GARLIC

This dish is quick, easy and packed with fiber and good heart healthy fats from the almonds! If you don’t have a dish to bring to Thanksgiving dinner – I’ve got you covered! Get the recipe here.

Bring a high protein vegetarian dish with this MAC AND CHEESE WITH GREENS recipe

It’s a great spin on a classic dish! You can make this mac and cheese two ways: eat it right off the stove top or bake it for a more crispy crust. Get the recipe here.

Rosemary Roasted Vegetables for the win!

Often times we notice that the dishes at parties feature mostly proteins and starches, but very few contain vegetables. That’s why we always recommend bringing a vegetable dish to add some color to the spread! Get the recipe here.

dessert made easy with these maple walnut baked pears

We’ve come up with a festive holiday snack or dessert that only has five ingredients and is very simple to make. Just put together your ingredients, let it bake, and there you have a delicious Maple Walnut Baked Pear! Get the recipe here.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone – stay safe and stay healthy!

5 Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes

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Store-bought salad dressings are not only expensive, they often have a long laundry list of ingredients. We’ve written 5 easy salad dressing recipes that you can make in the comfort of your own kitchen with just a few simple ingredients!

How to Store your Salad Dressings

Store your salad dressings in a small plastic or glass container. Vinaigrette dressings can be kept refrigerated for up to two weeks while dairy-based dressings can be left in the refrigerator for up to one week. 

How to Use Your Salad Dressings

Salad dressings are not limited to be used on salads alone. Sure, they can amp up your lunch salad, but they can also be used for a variety of other dishes. Try using the Green Goddess Dressing and Greek Yogurt Ranch as a dip for your chicken strips, raw vegetables or potatoes. Or, try marinating chicken in the Lemon Basil Vinaigrette, Italian Dressing, or Honey Mustard for dinner this week!

Benefits of Heart Healthy Fats

Foods containing healthy fats should not be feared. Our bodies need fats to function the way they’re supposed to! Dietary fats are essential for maintaining energy and cell growth, while also serving as a cushion for your organs, and keeps your body warm! Fats help your body absorb nutrients (like the ones in your salad!) and produce hormones. The important dietary fats we see in these recipes are avocado, avocado oil, olive oil, and avocado mayo. 

5 Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes

 

–Recipes by Gabby Childers, Brittany Jones Nutrition Group Intern

How to Make Chia Seed Pudding

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Chia seeds are a pantry staple for the dietitians at the Brittany Jones Nutrition Group. We love them sprinkled on top of oatmeal, blended into smoothies, and even in homemade pudding! 

So what are chia seeds?

Chia seeds are tiny gray seeds that are nutrient powerhouses. The name “powerhouse” comes to mind because they are an excellent source of omega-3s, protein, fiber, and many other micronutrients. When added to a liquid, the seeds can absorb 10-12 times their weight in water creating a gel-like consistency. Because chia seeds can retain so much water, they actually help maintain body hydration. 

Because the seeds gel so easily, it makes them the perfect ingredient for a nutritious homemade pudding recipe. We’ve put together three yummy chia pudding recipes that are thick, creamy, and easy to make. Even better, each of these recipes uses only five ingredients or less!

Three Easy Chia Seed Pudding Recipes

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Chocolate Raspberry Chia Pudding

Servings: 1

Ingredients:

  • 1 Cup 2% milk or almond milk 
  • ¼ Cup Raspberries
  • 3 Tablespoons Chia seeds 
  • 1 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder 
  • 1 Tablespoon Maple syrup

Directions:

  1. In any jar or bowl add milk first, followed by the chia seeds, cocoa powder, and maple syrup.
  2. Stir well with a spoon or fork. Let sit for one minute and stir again. This prevents clumping. Wait at least five minutes before eating for a healthy dessert, or place the pudding in the refrigerator to let sit overnight for an easy breakfast.
  3. When you’re ready to eat your chia pudding, stir and top with fresh raspberries. 

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Banana Nut Chia Pudding

Servings: 1

Ingredients:

  • 1 Cup 2% milk or almond milk 
  • 3 Tablespoons Chia seeds 
  • 2 Tablespoons Walnuts, chopped
  • ½ Banana, mashed

Directions:

  1. In any jar or bowl, add milk first, followed by the chia seeds, mashed banana, and walnuts.
  2. Stir well with a spoon or fork. Let sit for one minute and stir again. This prevents clumping.
  3. Wait at least five minutes before eating for a healthy dessert, or place the pudding in the refrigerator to let sit overnight for an easy breakfast.
  4. When you’re ready to eat your chia pudding, stir and top with fresh raspberries. 

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Strawberries and Cream Chia Pudding

Servings: 1

Ingredients:

  • ½ Cup 2% milk or almond milk
  • ¼ Cup Sliced strawberries
  • ¼ Cup Plain 0% Greek yogurt
  • 3 Tablespoons Chia seeds
  • 1 Tablespoon Organic Honey

Directions:

  1. In any jar or bowl, add milk first, then Greek yogurt, chia seeds, cocoa, honey, and sliced strawberries.
  2. Stir well with a spoon or fork. Let sit for one minute and stir again. This prevents clumping.
  3. Wait at least five minutes before eating for a healthy dessert, or place the pudding in the refrigerator to let sit overnight for an easy breakfast. Stir before eating

Notes:

  • If pudding is too thick, add a bit more milk and stir
  • Add liquids first before adding chia seeds
  • To make warm chia pudding, heat it in the microwave or add it on the stove with a splash of milk

-Written and photographed by Gabby Childers, Brittany Jones Nutrition Group Intern

Gabby Childers is from Greenville, SC, and is a senior Food Science and Nutrition major at Clemson University. She plans to become a registered dietitian after completing her undergrad. Gabby gets excited about healthy eating, food photography, and cultivating community through nutrition.

Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies Two Ways

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Who doesn’t love peanut butter cookies during the holidays? I put a spin on this classic recipe using almond flour (gluten free) and giving my guests the option of choosing peanut butter and jelly, or peanut butter and chocolate.

I recommend using organic fruit preserves (without high fructose corn syrup) for the jelly option, and you can use Nutella or the Trader Joe’s Cocoa Almond Butter for the cocoa ones! You’ll also want to be sure to get the NATURAL peanut butter without hydrogenated oils, as these are trans fats which will build up plaque in the arteries. The World Health Organization is banning hydrogenated oils due to it’s tie in with heart disease in 2023, but until then just read the ingredients and be sure to avoid them to keep your heart healthy.

Check out my easy to make recipe below, with only 6 ingredients! Each cooke comes in between 90-100 calories (depending on filling), has less than 10 grams of carb, and over 3 grams of protein to keep you full!

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Gluten Free Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies

Serves: 24 Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1 Cup Natural Peanut Butter (no hydrogenated oils in the ingredients)
  • 1/2 Cup Almond Flour
  • 1/2 Cup granulated sugar, more for rolling
  • 1 Egg, beaten
  • 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
  • Organic Fruit Preserves and/or Cocoa Spread

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F
  2. In a bowl, combine all ingredients (except filling) and mix with a wooden spoon or your hands
  3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
  4. Shape dough into 24 small 1-inch balls
  5. Roll each ball in granulated sugar to coat
  6. Place on parchment-lined cookie sheet
  7. Lightly press the center of each dough ball with your thumb to create a well
  8. Add ¼ teaspoon of jam or cocoa spread in the center of each cookie
  9. Bake for 7 – 9 minutes, until set on the outside but still very soft – do not over bake!
  10. Slide the parchment papaer from the baking sheet onto the counter. Let cool for 5 minutes before enjoying!

 

Healthy Game Day Recipes

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It’s that time of year again – tailgating season! I recently shared my tips with WSPA’s Carolina Morning with Sibila and Christy. Check it out!

A lot of my clients ask me how they can stay on track with their healthy habits while watching the big game. My biggest tip is to bring the vegetables! You know there will most definitely be carbs and proteins at the tailgate, so be sure to bring something that you can fill 50% of your plate with.

Here are two of my favorite game day recipes featuring veggies!

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Game Day Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

A healthy take on wings!

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

  • 1 head cauliflower; chopped into bite size piece
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 2 Tablespoons water
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2/3 Cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1 Tablespoon organic unsalted butter, melted
  • ½ Cup Frank’s Red Hot sauce
  • ¾ Cup Yogurt Blue Cheese dressing, for serving
  • Parchment paper

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 450F.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, water, black pepper and garlic powder.
  3. Place the breadcrumbs in another small bowl.
  4. Dip each cauliflower piece in the egg batter until coated evenly, then dip in the breadcrumbs, and place on a baking sheet pined with parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, combine the melted butter and hot sauce in a large bowl.
  6. Remove the cauliflower from the oven and gently toss with buffalo sauce.
  7. Place the cauliflower back on the parchment lined pan and bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until cauliflower is tender and crisp.
  8. Remove from oven, and serve yogurt blue cheese dressing.

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Mediterranean Avocado Dip with Sweet Mini Bell Peppers

A fun veggie dip that is packed with protein and healthy fats.

Serves: 6

  • 1 avocado, pitted and removed from peel
  • 4 oz fat free feta cheese
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • ¼ small red onion
  • ¼ Cup parsley
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 12oz sweet mini bell peppers

Directions:

  1. Add the pitted avocado, feta cheese, lemon juice, red onion, parsley and pepper to food processor.
  2. Pulse food processor until smooth.

Want to know more about finding a healthy balance? Set up  your FREE  15 minute call here!